Bengals Statistics

Browns Statistics

CLEVELAND — There is an infamous photo floating around the Internet that shows an anonymous
woman wearing the ultimate in eponymous garments.

She is wearing a Cleveland Browns jersey with “Couch” and No. 2 on the back. Couch is crossed
out, and “Detmer” is taped beneath. Detmer is crossed out, and “Wynn” is taped beneath, and so on.
In all, there are 18 names, all crossed out, and they spill off the bottom of the jersey.

They are the quarterbacks who have started for the Browns since the franchise was reborn in
1999.

The 19th is Brian Hoyer. Is he too good to be true?

Hoyer directed the Browns to a 17-6 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in FirstEnergy Stadium
yesterday. He led the Browns on a 95-yard scoring drive early in the first quarter, then nailed
down the victory with a 91-yard drive late in the fourth. He completed 25 of 38 passes for 269
yards and two touchdowns, and he was not intercepted. He was clinical.

The previous week, Hoyer shook off a poor third quarter and took the Browns on an 11-play drive
that culminated in a 7-yard touchdown pass with 55 seconds remaining. The Browns, amid a din in
Minnesota, beat the Vikings 31-27.

Hoyer is Cleveland. He was born in Lakewood, was reared in North Olmsted and attended Cleveland
St. Ignatius High School. He pitched on a state-championship baseball team. He was an all-Ohio
quarterback.

Hoyer’s idol was Bernie Kosar. He went to Browns games with his father. He was in the upper deck
on Dec. 17, 1995, for the last game played in Municipal Stadium. Yesterday, he had scores of family
and friends among an audience of 71,481.

He waved to his wife and picked apart a hated rival before her eyes.

“To me, it wasn’t different than any other game,” Hoyer said. “It may be my third start, but
this is my fifth year in the NFL. I know the right way to prepare and what kind of mindset I have
to have.”

Is he too good to be true?

Hoyer was an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State when the New England Patriots signed him
in 2009. He spent three years as Tom Brady’s backup. Then he was waived three times — by the
Patriots, Steelers and Cardinals — in a span of nine months.

He was the Browns’ third-stringer when he was called on to start in Minnesota. Since, he has
completed 55 of 92 passes for 590 yards and five touchdowns. He is 2-0, and the Browns (2-2) are
tied for first place in the AFC North.

“He lets the ball go and trusts himself,” Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said. “He has
surprised me. I didn’t know much about him before he got to Cleveland.”

Brady has gone out of his way to tout Hoyer’s legitimacy. Phil Simms, among other experts, has
been singing Hoyer’s praises and comparing his “chutzpah” to that of Andrew Luck. There is an image
emerging: Hoyer has the physical and mental tools to be an NFL quarterback, and his three years
under Brady have made him more of a polished product.

His postgame tone was indicative. He said it was nice to play before an energized crowd 15 miles
from his parents’ house. That was his word, nice. Then, he talked about a short week of preparation
for the next game, against the Buffalo Bills here on Thursday night.

“I’ve been on winning teams, and I know what it takes — and that’s getting back to work,” he
said.

Browns coach Rob Chudzinski was asked whether he knew who will start against Buffalo, and he
said he has to evaluate the tape before deciding.

What, are they going to trade Hoyer?

The woman’s jersey with 18 names crossed out on the back is an iconic Cleveland sports image. It
chronicles the follies of the past. It begs for an end to the misery. It prays for a savior.

Hoyer might or might not be the man, but he looks better suited for it than he did two weeks
ago.